25/05/2025 17:04
Lando Norris has revealed how he used Max Verstappen to help defend
the lead, and win, from Charles Leclerc in the Monaco Grand Prix.
From pole position, Norris was placed under intense pressure in the
closing stages by Charles Leclerc, but after Max Verstappen pitted
from the lead on the penultimate lap, the McLaren bolted, easily
winning. It is Norris's first win since the Australia
season-opener, and the first for McLaren in Monaco since Lewis
Hamilton's 2008 win. That year, Hamilton also won the Australian
and Monaco GPs on his way to a first world title, with Norris now
just three points behind team-mate Oscar Piastri in the drivers'
standings following the Australian's third-place finish.
Reflecting on his maiden win in the Principality, Norris detailed
how he used Verstappen to help form his defence against Leclerc's
late charge. "It feels amazing, it is a long race, and we could
push for quite a lot of the race, the last quarter was a little bit
nervous with Charles close behind and Max ahead, but we wanted
Monaco," Norris explained. "It doesn't matter how you win, but it
is an amazing weekend, and this is what I dream of when I was a
kid, so I've achieved one of my dreams. "I felt under control for
the whole race, but Max kind of backed it up, and that's when
Charles had the opportunity, and I had to manage quite a bit. "I
tried to back off Max so I could push when I needed, so I still had
to manage, but I am very happy. "My team are very happy and
therefore we are going to have a wonderful night."
